Lucky Me
by JesusOtakuFreak
Summary: You know you're having a bad day when you confess your feelings to the wrong person, your house gets destroyed in an earthquake, and you somehow end up moving in with devil of Rikkaidai. [Niou x OC x Kirihara]
1. Confession Fail!

**Disclaimer: I do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

 **Chapter One: Confession Fail!**

 _Okay… okay… okay…._ I thought, trudging out of the school building. _Enough is enough. Today is the day to do it. Today is_ your _day!_ I thought, my hands tightening around the cloth wrapped container.

Inside were double chocolate chip cookies I had spent all night preparing. I didn't really know what he liked, if he even liked sweets, but I figured chocolate chip cookies were a safe bet. As I walked, I looked around me and saw students chatting with their friends as they headed for home. I would be going home, too, but I had something to do, and I was determined to do it. I was determined to confess to Niou Masaharu. My stomach flipped several times over and I felt like passing out.

 _Ugh, am I really going to do this? Maybe I shouldn't…._ I shook my head and tightened my grip on the container. _No, no, don't chicken out now! The worst he can do is reject you and that will be fine because then I can move on._ My grip loosened and I stopped walking, staring forlornly at the ground. _That is, if I could move on…._

"Yo, Niou!" someone shouted, startling me.

 _N-Niou?!_ I thought, looking to my right where Niou Masaharu was dressed in his tennis uniform and holding a racket, speaking to someone I vaguely recognized from class. I gulped as the guy left, leaving Niou by himself. _It's now or never!_ "N-N-N-N…!" Ack! I couldn't even call out his name! This always happened. Whenever Niou was around, I would freeze up and be unable to speak. It was so embarrassing and pathetic. _But I'm going to do it this time!_ I thought, running over to Niou.

There was scarcely anyone around, which was awesome because on the large chance Niou did reject me, I didn't want there to be too many witnesses. Niou had his back turned to me as he walked at a leisurely pace to where I assumed was practice. I tried calling his name again.

"N-N-Niou-kun!"

Yes! I did it! I knew how it seemed pretty pathetic to celebrate over something so petty, but you didn't understand, to actually be able to talk while the guy was around was an incredible feat. Niou stopped walking and turned his head so that he peered at me over his shoulder.

"Hm? What is it?" he asked.

I halted a few inches in front of him and gazed up at him. The guy was pretty tall compared to my short self. He was ten centimeters taller than me. Niou stared down at me with those sharp blue eyes of his, and I found myself feeling at peace, which was super strange.

 _I'm not freezing up or feeling nauseous or tongue-tied or anything!_ Inwardly, I smiled. _Okay, then, I can totally do this!_ I thrust out the container and bowed deeply. "I… I really, really, like you Niou-kun! I've liked you ever since my first year here, and I wish to be with you! Please accept these double chocolate chip cookies as tokens of my love!"

The word _love_ slipped out of my mouth so easily, and I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole. _Love?!_ I didn't _love_ him! I just really, really, _really_ liked him! Why did I say that?! You idiot! Well, it was too late now. What's done was done. I just waited for Niou's response, my arms getting weary from being stretched out too long.

"I'm sorry…." Niou replied softly.

 _I… I knew it,_ I thought, lowering my arms and straightening myself. I kept my head down, not wanting to see his face.

"I'm sorry but… I'm not Niou-kun."

Huh? I snapped my head up and stared wide-eyed at the boy, who stared back, an apologetic smile on his face. _What? Not Niou-kun?! But, but, but he—!_ I inhaled sharply when Niou removed his silver-gray hair, revealing…. "Y-Yagyu-san?!" _No way! You've got to be kidding me!_ I thought, not helping but gawking at Rikkai's Gentleman.

"I do apologize," Yagyu said, bowing slightly. "If you want, I could direct you to where Niou-kun is—?"

"N-no! T-that's okay!" I declined, waving dismissively while walking backwards. "I'm… I'm…." I didn't even bother finishing my sentence, whirling around and sprinting away. _I can't believe I did that! How could I have been so careless, so_ stupid _?! I should have known something was up when I didn't freeze up. I always freeze up around Niou. It never failed._ I didn't realize that I had ran a good twenty minutes before my body was screaming for mercy. I trudged the rest of the way home, tossing my cookies into the trash bin. Now, there was definitely no way I could confess to Niou, now. "Oh, this is so messed up! What was that guy doing dressed up as Niou-kun, anyway?!" I shouted. It took a while, but I finally made it home. "I'm home!" I called out, entering the house.

Mom emerged from the kitchen, wearing a blue apron over a pale green blouse and jeans. She was a thirty-three year old woman, though one might think she was in her late twenties because of her smooth, pale skin and youthful facial features, such as her wide brown eyes, which clearly expressed her emotions, her petite nose and wide, pink lips. Her short, black hair stopped just below her chin and framed her oval-shaped face perfectly.

"Welcome!" Mom greeted, smiling warmly. "How was school?"

I couldn't hold it any longer.

I burst out crying, startling Mom and rushed to her, embracing her in a huge hug. "It was terrible!"

"Oh? What happened?" Mom asked. I buried my head into Mom's chest and replied, my response muffled. "I'm sorry? What happened?" Mom asked, gently pulling away and staring at me with her kind brown eyes.

"I confessed my feelings to the wrong guy," I mumbled.

"You confessed your feelings…?"

"To the wrong guy."

"How did that happen?"

I told her, and she snorted. "You're laughing at me?! This isn't funny! Now, I can never confess to Niou-kun!"

"Yes, yes, I can see how that will be a problem, but I think you're allowed to try again."

"No, no way! There is no way I'm doing it again. The fact that I confessed to Yagyu instead of Niou shows that I'm not serious about my feelings! If I _really_ liked him, I would have had no trouble in distinguishing between the real and fake," I said.

"Yes, that's very true," Mom agreed, nodding. "If you had been able to tell the difference that probably would have won you some points. But, instead, you fell prey, just like everyone else, to their trick." Mom frowned disapprovingly. "Honestly, from what I'm hearing, it sounds like this Niou guy is troublesome. Why would you want to be with someone who fools and cons people on a daily basis?"

"Because there's more to Niou-kun than that!"

"Don't tell me he's one of those people who takes on others' appearances and gets people to believe what he wants, but his true character is a mystery, and he keeps people guessing."

"…."

"How cliché. Also, very troublesome," Mom remarked.

"M-Mom! Geez, is this how you cheer a person up? You're terrible at these things!" I stated, marching over to the stairs.

"I'm sorry, dear, but still, I'd stay away from guys like that. They're nothing but trouble!" Mom called up to me.


	2. Disaster

**Disclaimer: I do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Disaster**

"I can't… believe… you did that!" Emiko said, laughing between breaths.

After I changed out of my uniform, I laid on my bed and called my best friend, Emiko, and relayed to her my misfortune of confessing to Yagyuu instead of Niou.

"It's not funny, Emiko! Mom laughed at me, too. Mou, I'm so embarrassed," I said, sighing.

"Eh, you'll be fine," Emiko said, collecting herself, and I could hear the shrugging of her shoulders in her voice.

"Some friend you are; you're supposed to be supporting me!" I snapped.

"You're right, you're right. I'm sorry. But look on the bright side—at least you actually confessed! Most people are too cowardly to do that," Emiko pointed out.

"I guess you're right," I mumbled.

"Tell you what, to cheer you up, we can go shopping together!"

"I'm not really in a shopping mood," I stated.

"Hey, you gotta work with me here. You said to be supportive, and I'm being supportive. Look, I'm coming over. See ya!" Emiko abruptly hung up before I could protest.

Lucky, my cat, padded into the room, meowing at me in an attempt to grab my attention. When I paid him no mind, he hopped onto the bed and buried his head in my side. "Ow! Stop it, Lucky," I hissed. But the white cat was persistent, hopping atop my stomach and laid down while licking his arm. "Ew, don't do that while on me!" I snapped, grabbing him and setting him on the ground.

"Meow!" Lucky cried, his crystal blue eyes gazing up at me.

"Go bother, Mom. I'm too depressed to play with you," I said, sighing as I rolled on my back. Lucky cried one more time before departing the room and leaving me alone with my thoughts. _I'm so stupid! Why, oh, why, could I not tell Yagyuu was impersonating Niou-kun? Argh! I'm so upset with myself!_ _Stupid, stupid, stupid…._

As I berated myself, the house shivered lightly, distracting me from my thoughts, and I sat up, my eyes widening in surprise and question. The trembling increased in intensity, knocking books off the bookshelf and pitching items on my desk and drawers onto the shifting ground. The house jerked violently, actually hurling me off the bed.

"Ouch!" I screamed, remaining on the ground as the trembling grew more violent.

 _"Kerry!"_ I heard Mom scream for me downstairs.

 _"Mom!"_ I screamed in reply, cringing as pieces of the ceiling crumbled on top my bed and ground. "Ouch!" I groaned, when a piece landed on top of my head. _I need to get out of here!_ I decided, scampering on my hands and knees out of the room. "Mom?!" I cried out, crawling into the hallway. Picture frames hung on the wall shattered to the ground, littering the hall with broken glass and making it dangerous to cross.

"Mom, where are you?!" As soon as I asked the question, the tremors ceased. "Oh, thank God," I breathed, relieved, rising to my feet and hurrying down the stairs. "Mom!"

I ran to the dining room, stopping and gaping at the trashed scene. The medium wooden cabinet containing plates and kitchenware, collapsed on top the dining table, dividing the table in half. The plates left a shattered mess all over the ground. The chandelier dangling above the table swung greatly, making me think it could snap off any second now.

"Mom?!" I called.

"Kerry!" Mom appeared from behind me, startling me.

"Oh, geez, Mom!" I wrapped my arms around her neck, squeezing her in a tight hug.

"Are you hurt?" Mom asked, pulling away while closely examining my face.

"No, I'm fine. What about you?"

Before Mom could reply, we both heard a yell from the foyer.

"Karin! Kerry!" Dad called franticly.

"We're in the dining room, Ryota!" Mom answered.

Hurried footsteps approached our way and Dad burst through the doorway, appearing disheveled, his face and black business suit stained with dirt.

"Oh, thank God. Are you two all right?" Dad asked, embracing Mom before shifting his focus on me.

"Yeah, Dad, we're good. But, geez, that scared me," I said.

"You're telling me. Driving while the earth is shaking is not fun at all," Dad stated, sighing.

"Ryota, you drove during the earthquake?" Mom asked, frowning disapprovingly.

"Bad idea, I know, but I was literally five minutes away before the quake started," Dad said.

"Well, you're safe now, and that's all that matters," Mom said, pecking Dad on the cheek.

"But what are we going to do now? The house is trashed," I said.

"Fixing things is going to be troublesome for sure," Dad muttered.

 _"Meow…. Meow…."_ Lucky's weak cry from beneath the crushed table grabbed our attention, and I gasped, hurrying toward the table.

"Lucky!" I cried, trying to peer through the cracks.

"Kerry, be careful!" Dad instructed.

"I need to get to him! He's probably hurt," I said, trying to push the heavy cabinet off the table.

Dad came over and helped me push the cabinet. Lucky's yowls grew in intensity as Dad and I were gradually removing the cabinet from off the table. Suddenly, Lucky jumped out from beneath the space once occupied by the cabinet onto Dad's chest, startling him.

"Ack! Stupid cat," he grumbled, handing the cat to me.

"Lucky! You're not hurt, are you?" I asked worriedly, looking him over. His snow-white fur was colored a dull gray, but otherwise, Lucky appeared unharmed.

"He doesn't look like he has a scratch on him," Mom observed.

"Thank God," I said, squeezing the furry animal to my chest.

In all the excitement, I had forgotten all about Lucky, which made me feel horrible.

"Should we start cleaning?" Mom asked, staring distastefully around the room.

"I'm not looking forward to it," I replied, pouting.

The entire house jerked suddenly, throwing us all off balance. The chandelier snapped from the ceiling, plummeting below.

"Kerry, watch out!" Dad shouted, roughly grabbing both my arms and shoving me toward Mom, who caught me.

 _CRASH!_ The chandelier exploded onto the table, glass and wood flying everywhere.

"Eek!" I screamed, burying my head into Mom's chest while she embraced me tightly.

"Ryota!" Mom cried.

I looked over to see Dad facing us, clutching his right arm where blood poured freely from a deep gash caused by the flying glass.

"Dad!" I exclaimed. The ground quavered violently, with sections of the ceiling crumbling and separating Mom and I from Dad. _"Dad!"_ I screamed. Mom grabbed my arm, forcefully pulling me toward the foyer and out the door. "Wait, where are you going?! Dad's back there!" I shouted, struggling against Mom.

"It's not safe to remain inside! The house is unstable," Mom explained.

"But Dad—!"

 _CRAAACK!_ I whipped my head around in time to see the roof cave in, a plume of dust rising to the sky. I halted my footsteps, releasing Lucky and successfully wriggling my arm loose from Mom's grip.

 _"Dad!"_ I screamed, dashing for the doorway.

"Kerry!" Mom chased after me, seizing me by the shoulders before I could advance any further. "It's too dangerous!"

"But, Dad, he's…! He's…! Dad, can you hear me?! Please, answer!"

My vision blurred as tears clouded my vision and streaked down my face. I crumpled to my knees, burying my face in my hands as I wept.

"Meow…." Lucky gently rubbed his head against my thighs, softly mewling.

Mom stooped by me, pulling me into a hug, tears rolling down her own face as she stared silently at our ruined home.


	3. Unbelievable

**Disclaimer: I do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Unbelievable**

Help arrived twenty minutes later with two paramedics carrying a stretcher as they hurried into the house. Mom and I sat on the curb, with Mom gazing anxiously at the house, waiting for the paramedics to reappear with her husband, hopefully, alive while I, on the other hand, stared blankly at the street, absently stroking Lucky's fur while he laid in my lap. Five minutes passed until the paramedics reemerged from the house, carrying Dad on the stretcher.

"Ryota!" Mom cried, and I snapped out of my trance, whirling my head where the paramedics were loading Dad into the ambulance. Mom ran up to one paramedic. "My husband! Is he…?"

"He's alive, but barely. We must get moving now if we're to make it."

"I'm coming, too!" Mom said, climbing into the ambulance. "Kerry, hurry!"

"R-Right!" I said, scooping Lucky into my arms and entering the vehicle. "Dad!" I gasped, taking in his beaten, unconscious form.

Scratches and blood covered his face and arms while his business suit was in tatters and badly stained with dirt and dust. Fresh tears sprang to the surface, and I grasped his hand, clutching it tightly. Mom placed her hand on top of ours and sniffled.

"Dad, I don't know if you can hear me, but please, hold on, okay?" I pleaded.

Fortunately, the earthquake did minimum damage on the roads, so we were able to arrive to the hospital in an acceptable amount of time.

The waiting area bustled with life as people awaited for results on their injured loved ones. I sat in the waiting area with Lucky when Mom returned with news from the doctor.

"Your father's been medically induced into a coma," Mom solemnly reported to me.

"Induced…?" I repeated, astonished.

"Yes. The doctor said it's to protect the brain because your father suffered extensive injuries," Mom replied, her voice cracking.

"But Dad's still alive, so, there's still a chance he'll pull through," I spoke hopefully.

"Yes, that's true," Mom agreed, nodding. Her phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket, studying the screen. "Oh, it's Asako. Hello, Asako?"

 _That reminds me… I lost my own cellphone in the house,_ I thought, my right eye twitching. _This day just keeps getting better and better…._

"Yeah, it was really bad, but I'm glad to hear everyone is safe. Me? Um…." Mom bit her lip, her eyes glistening of unshed tears. She rose to her feet, walking away and disappearing down the hall.

 _I wonder if Emiko is alright?_ I thought worriedly. _Moreover, I wonder if Niou-kun is alright as well?_ My heart raced at the idea of something happening to the silver-haired trickster. Mom returned to the waiting area, her face appearing softer than before. "Mom? What is it?" I asked, curious.

"My friend will allow us to stay with her until we're able to afford our own place," Mom said.

"Really? So, we won't be living on the street? Thank God," I sighed, relieved. "You hear that, Lucky? We have a place to stay!"

"Meow!" Lucky cried happily.

"She's on her way now," Mom told me.

 _That's the only good news I've heard on this horrible, horrible day._

Mom's friend called us when she arrived, and we met her in the parking lot. She was a fair-skinned middle-aged woman with short straight black hair tied into a ponytail and expressive emerald eyes, lighting up her round face.

"Asako, thanks so much for allowing us to stay with you," Mom said, climbing into the passenger seat while I got into the back.

"Yes, thank you," I said.

"Of course! I'm glad to do it. I'm so sorry about Ryota," Asako said, driving out of the parking lot.

"Yes, but we're optimistic he'll pull through," Mom said.

"Yeah, that's right. Dad isn't one to give up easily," I added.

Asako smiled at my remark. "That's good to hear."

"So, your husband and kids are alright?" Mom asked.

"Yes, Keiko is a bit shaken, but otherwise, she's fine. As for Akaya, he was at tennis practice when the quake happened," Asako answered. "When I called him, he said everything was fine. The earthquake didn't do much damage at the school and no one got hurt."

"That's good news," Mom said.

Something Asako said bothered me. She mentioned Akaya being at tennis practice. There was a certain second-year on Rikkaidai's tennis team with that same name…. Could it be…?!

"Um, excuse me, what's your surname?" I asked nervously.

"My surname? It's Kirihara, but I don't mind you calling me Asako-san," Asako said, beaming.

"R-Really…."

"I believe you go to the same school as my son. Do you know anyone by the name of Kirihara Akaya?" Asako asked.

"Yeah… I know him…."

"Do you? That's good! Maybe he can help you," Asako said.

"Wow, what luck! What are the odds of that, Kerry?" Mom asked.

Yes, what were the odds indeed? This was some kind of joke, right? I wasn't actually going to be living with the devil of Rikkaidai… right?! Rikkaidai's tennis team was incredibly strong, dubbed the best in Japan after they won the Nationals twice in a row. Kirihara Akaya was the only second-year on the team and, because of that, earned the title Junior Ace.

As for the title, Devil of Rikkai, he gained that label for his violent and dangerous playing style on the court where he would enter into devil mode and crush his opponents, leaving them battered and beaten. Frankly, I didn't like the guy because of his violent tennis skils. I mean, for crying out loud, it was just a friggin' game; an extracurricular activity. That being said, beating someone 'til they literally couldn't move just because you were losing was beyond uncool—it was just plain evil.

 _And I'm going to be living with the guy for who knows how long,_ I thought, stifling a groan.

Lovely.

We arrived to the Kirihara residence, and I couldn't help but gawk at the tall, beautiful house and gorgeous garden, which added to the house's beauty.

"This is a lovely home, Asako," Mom complimented.

"Thank you," Asako said, leading the way.

As we walked along the stoned pathway, I couldn't help but admire the vibrant, colorful flowers planted along the path.

"These flowers are beautiful, Asako-san," I remarked.

"Thank you, I try," Asako said, unlocking the door and entering inside.

Mom followed Asako inside while I stood outside, gazing at the open doorway, clutching Lucky close.

 _This is happening…. This is actually happening. Or maybe not. Maybe this is all just a bad dream. Yeah, that's right. I never confessed to Yagyuu. Our house is still standing tall and strong. And Dad is—_

"Kerry, are you coming in?" Mom asked, poking her head in the doorway.

"Ah, uh, yeah! Sorry," I apologized.

Mom disappeared back inside, and I sighed heavily. Nope, this was reality. The reality where I confessed to Yagyuu; my house was nothing but a pile of rocks; Dad was in the hospital; and I was now living with the devil of Rikkaidai. Reality. Sucks.

"Keiko! Our guests have arrived. Come down so I can introduce you," Asako called upstairs.

"Hai!" A bright, cheerful voice replied.

A young girl, looking around ten years, bounded down the stairs, stopping mid-way when she saw me. She looked like an adorable miniature, feminine version of Kirihara with short messy black hair stopping at her chin and wide green eyes.

She gasped, pointing at me, her bright green eyes widening. "You have a cat?! It's so cute!" the girl exclaimed, rushing down the remaining steps and bounding toward me.

"Thanks, his name is Lucky," I introduced, patting the little guy's head.

"Lucky? That's a cute name! Is it actually lucky?" Keiko asked.

"He has his moments. Would you like to hold him? Though he is dirty."

"Can I?" I nodded, holding Lucky out to the eager girl who held her hands out. Lucky meowed as Keiko adjusted her hold on the cat, gently rocking him while petting him. "Ooh, he's so soft!"

"Keiko, this is Mrs. Taniguchi and her daughter, Kerry," Asako introduced.

"Nice meeting you guys!" Keiko replied happily.

"Kerry will be sleeping in your room," Asako told Keiko.

"Really?! Yay, we'll be roommates!" Keiko spoke excitedly. "Come on, I'll show you my room!" Keiko bounded up the stairs in elation while I followed her at my own pace.

"This is my room! You'll be sleeping over there and Lucky can sleep right here," Keiko said, setting the cat on the ground.

The room was moderately spacey and excessively girly. Stuffed toys cluttered the windowsill, desk, bookshelf and Keiko's bed. The walls were painted a cute pink, matching Keiko's bed sheets and carpet. The sun streamed through the window, adequately illuminating the room, so artificial light was unnecessary, which I appreciated since I loved natural light. There was a knock at the door, and I looked over to see Asako standing by the door while carrying a futon mattress and a thick comforter.

"Here, these are for you, Kerry," Asako said, smiling.

"Thank you," I said, receiving the items.

"I'm sure you'd want to shower and get refreshed," Asako said.

"Now that you mention it, that sounds like a good idea," I agreed.

"Good, good. The bathroom is three doors on your right," Asako instructed. "Also, I'd imagine you haven't eaten yet. I'm preparing dinner which should be ready in an hour."

"Ooh, ooh, what are we having this time?" Keiko asked excitedly.

"You'll find out," Asako said, smiling before leaving.

"I'm going to take my shower now," I said. "And Lucky, you'll need a bath yourself," I stated, stooping and ruffling the cat's fur.

"Meow," he shook his head, padding out into the hallway.

"He doesn't want a bath, huh?" Keiko observed.

"Not very fond of water, that one," I sighed.

* * *

After I finished showering, I stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel off the rack and toweling off my body before wrapping it around my head. I noticed a sweatshirt and pants folded nicely on top the toilet cover and figured Asako must have provided them for me. I grabbed the sweatshirt, unfolding and examining it. It was a plain medium sized gray sweatshirt, and it seemed a decent fit for me. As I got dressed, I couldn't help but get depressed about the loss of my belongings. My clothes, laptop, cell phone… they were all buried beneath the house's rubble.

I sighed heavily, catching my reflection in the mirror above the sink, a pair of dull brown eyes gazing back at my forlorn appearance. Thanks to the shower, my caramel skin glowed healthily, though I could detect several small scratches on my right cheek. I exited the bathroom, the cool air immediately greeting me and headed for Keiko's room. I walked in to find Keiko kneeling on the ground while playing with Lucky with a paddle toy. She gently bounced the ball against the paddle while Lucky attempted to hit it with his paw.

"Kerry, you've finished?" Keiko asked, setting the paddle down where Lucky pawed at the ball, rolling it between his paws.

"Yeah, I really needed that," I said, removing the towel from my head and allowing my black hair to fall, the wetness soaking my shoulders. I raked my hand through the tangled hair since I was without a comb. "Where's your house phone?"

"I'll show you," Keiko offered, rising to her feet and leaving out the room.

I followed her down the stairs into the living room where a cordless phone sat atop a small desk drawer.

"Thank you," I said, picking up the phone. I dialed Emiko's number, tapping the phone as I waited for my friend to pick up.

"Hello?" Emiko greeted.

"Emiko, it's me, Kerry," I replied.

"Kerry? Oh, thank God! I called you a hundred times but the call wouldn't go through! Are you all right?" Emiko asked.

"Not really," I mumbled. I told her everything that's happened, my voice cracking when I recounted Dad's broken condition.

"Oh, my gosh, Kerry, I'm so sorry," Emiko said. "So? Where are you and your Mom now?"

"Um…." I hesitated in sharing the fact I was living with Kirihara. "We're living with my mom's friend."

"Is that so? Well, that's good."

"But what about you, Emiko? Did you and your family suffer any damage from the earthquake?"

"No, our house held up fine and no one got hurt, thank God. But the lights are out over here, which sucks because my cell phone is close to dying," Emiko stated, sighing.

"I'll let you go, then, but before I forget, can I borrow your spare uniform? All my belongings were lost in the quake."

"Yeah, that's not a problem."

"Thanks, Emiko." We said our goodbyes before hanging up. _I'm glad to hear Emiko is unhurt,_ I thought.

I wandered into the kitchen where the spicy aroma of curry greeted me and found Mom and Asako sitting at the island, chatting with one another.

"Oh, Kerry, I'm glad to see the shirt and pants fit you well," Asako commented.

"Yes, thank you," I said, smiling.

"We're going shopping tomorrow after school, Kerry," Mom told me as I joined the women at the island.

"Mmm…." I hummed, gazing sadly at the granite countertop.

Mom wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulder, squeezing me in reassurance.

"I'm home," a male voice announced.

"Oh, that's Akaya," Asako stated, and I stiffened. "Akaya, we're in the kitchen."

"We…?" Kirihara replied, entering the kitchen.

"Yes, this is my friend and her daughter. Their home was ruined by the earthquake so they'll be staying with us in the meantime," Asako explained.

"Wha—?! I know you! You're… wait, who are you?" Kirihara asked, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"Don't excitedly claim to know somebody when you don't really know!" I snapped.

"Ah, yeah, sorry. But you do look familiar…."

"That's probably because we've been classmates since the beginning of the school year," I said. "I sit a few seats in front of you in the middle row."

"Ah, really?"

"Meow!" Lucky ran into the kitchen, brushing in between Kirihara's legs.

"Uwaah!" Kirihara yelped, jumping backward.

"Lucky, come back!" Keiko cried, nearly bumping into her older brother. "Onii-chan, watch where you're going!" Keiko snapped, puffing her cheeks in anger.

"Wha—? Is that thing yours?" Kirihara demanded, his face twisted in what looked like disgust.

"This _thing_ happens to be my best friend," I replied curtly, scooping Lucky into my arms. "His name's Lucky."

"More like yucky," Kirihara retorted.

"What was that?" I demanded.

"Now, now, you two," Asako intervened. "Akaya, hurry and change. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Hai, hai," Kirihara said, shooting one last annoyed glare at Lucky before leaving the kitchen.

 _The guy isn't even home for five minutes, and already he's managed to piss me off._ Lucky rubbed his head against my chest, and I scratched behind his ears. "Keiko-chan, would you like to help me wash Lucky?" I asked, hopping off the seat.

Keiko gasped happily, sparkles dancing within her expressive green eyes. "Yes, yes!"

* * *

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" I spoke, toweling Lucky off.

"You're… you're kidding, right?" Keiko asked.

She was drenched from head to toe with suds covering her shoulders, hair and feet. The tile bathroom floor was a soaked mess with puddles and suds covering the area.

"You said you wanted to be the one to clean Lucky," I pointed out, rising to my feet.

"Yeah, but I didn't think it was going to go like that," Keiko replied, sighing. "Mou, now I have to change."

"Go ahead and change. I'll clean up here," I said, opening the door, and Lucky bounded out into the hallway.

"Okay." Keiko hurried out of the bathroom, nearly slipping when she turned the corner.

"All righty then, time to find me a mop," I muttered, stepping out when a mop was suddenly thrust in front of my face. I stepped back, blinking in confusion and looking to the person holding the mop.

"Here," Kirihara said, looking to the side. "I figured you'd need this."

"Uh, thanks," I said, taking the mop. I started mopping up the puddles, not knowing Kirihara hadn't left.

"The cat did all of that?" Kirihara asked, astonished.

"He doesn't usually make a big mess, but it was your sister's first time bathing him, so this happened," I explained.

"What's the point of bathing him when he's only going to get dirty again?" Kirihara questioned.

"Hah? That's the equivalent of asking what's the point of _you_ showering if you're only going to get all sweaty again?" I retorted.

"Yeah, but the only difference is I'm not an animal. Animals are meant to get dirty."

"Are you an idiot? Animals have ways of cleaning themselves. They don't stay dirty!"

"Who're you calling an idiot?! I think it's idiotic to own a pet when animals clearly belong in the wild. Who are you, Tarzan?!"

"Whu—?! How the heck am I like Tarzan?!" By this time, Kirihara and I were glowering at each other, our faces a few inches apart. "Baka!"

"Tarzan!"

"What's going on here?" Asako demanded, standing by the door with her hands on her hips.

"Ack, Mom!" Kirihara quickly spun around. Too quickly. "Crap!" he cried, slipping on a puddle and toppling backward, crashing into me.

"Oof!" I grunted, slamming flat on my back with Kirihara lying on top of me. "Ugh, how long do you plan on staying there? Get off!" I growled.

"Are you two all right?" Asako asked, helping us to our feet. "Moreover, how did the bathroom get so wet anyway?"

"I was teaching Keiko how to bathe Lucky," I murmured.

"Your clothes are soaked. I'll find you another change of clean clothes, Kerry. As for you, Akaya, hurry and change and then head downstairs, dinner is ready," Asako instructed.

"Yes, ma'am," Kirihara mumbled.

He carefully crossed to the doorway, turning around and sticking his tongue out before leaving the bathroom.

 _Whu—?! Grrr…._ What an annoying fellow.

* * *

After dinner, I retired to bed early, the stress of the day's events finally catching up to me. I flopped onto the futon, exhausted and closed my eyes, preparing to lose myself in sleep.

"Meow."

I cracked one eye open to see Lucky entering the room and claiming his spot near me. He yawned before resting his head and closing his eyes, his tail wrapping around part of his body. I softly stroked the top of his head, a small smile forming on my face.

"We made it through the day, Lucky. Now, I just pray things will get better from this point forward," I whispered, closing my eyes once more.


End file.
